


so subtly flawed and incomprehensible

by sandyk



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-11
Updated: 2016-07-11
Packaged: 2018-07-15 06:25:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,294
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7211594
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sandyk/pseuds/sandyk
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Locked in a jail cell on Earth 7, they need to find a way out. Quickly, hopefully.</p>
            </blockquote>





	so subtly flawed and incomprehensible

**Author's Note:**

  * For [hellkitty](https://archiveofourown.org/users/hellkitty/gifts).



> Notes: title and opening quote from Ari Feld's Putting Out to Sea with Great Hope. not mine, no profit garnered.

_And as the prow beds the sea, the prophecies, the stage directions and sheet music reveal a way so subtly flawed and incomprehensible that deciding what would do best seems as inadvisable as whatever it is I’m doing._

 

"So to repeat," Cisco said. 

"Please do repeat," Snart drawled. The man was incapable of just speaking, it was always drawling, every single word arch. Iris bet he even ordered breakfast like that, 'two eggs over easy and whole wheat toast' like his contempt and smugness extended even to the most basic of foodstuffs.

"I am going to repeat," Cisco said. "We're trapped on Earth 7, in a jail cell. With no way out."

"It's a very well built prison cell," Caitlin said. 

"Absolutely," Cisco said. He stood and started poking and caressing the walls. 

"You think you're going to find a hidden switch? I've been in prison cells before, they don't leave special features to get you out if you're just that smart and pure," Snart drawled again.

"Do you have anything helpful to contribute besides complaining?" Caitlin huffed.

"I count that as a contribution," Snart drawled. "Maybe your annoyance will spark one of those patented Flash team epiphanies."

"Maybe your silence could," Iris said. 

Caitlin said, "Cisco, can't you vibe or something?"

"Vibe?" Snart drawled. 

"Thanks for letting the supervillain know about my secret super power," Cisco said. "And no. I mean, nothing is inspiring a vibe and I can't do the other stuff without the glove."

"Do you really need the glove, or would it work if we all clap and believe really hard?" Snart smiled, smugly. 

"I really need the glove," Cisco said. "Come on."

"You need a crutch," Snart said, contempt in his voice. 

"Please shut up," Cisco said, whirling with his hand out. Snart was pushed back against the wall. 

Snart smiled. "See, that seems a useful super power. Does it just run on anger?"

"Then we're set," Caitlin said. "You make everyone angry, it's like a super power."

"Not everyone," Snart said. "You remember my sister, right, Cisco?"

Cisco frowned and went back to examining the walls. Iris said, "Cisco, maybe we should focus on your power. This place doesn't look like it's very friendly to us. Specifically."

"Someone will have to explain to Snow," Snart drawled. "See, Caitlin, while half of the prisoners we've seen are non-white, every single guard and policeman we've interacted with is white."

"Oh," Caitlin said, with her liberal guilt face. Iris sighed. 

"I get it, Earth 7, or this part of it, is all about the white power, but that actually doesn't help me figure out a way out of here," Cisco said. 

"The way out of here is you," Caitlin said, kindly. "You have to open the path back."

"It's more complicated than just waving my hand and opening a door. I mean, I think we have to be a speedster. Or something," Cisco said. "And I can't do it on demand."

"Should we get red heels to click together?" Snart was so full of good suggestions. 

"Dude," Cisco said. "I may not be able to open us a way home but I'm pretty sure I can vibe force you against the wall again."

Caitlin said, "Vibe force?"

Cisco said, "I know, I know, I regretted it as soon as it came out of my mouth. Clearly, I need to name my powers better."

"That's a top priority."

Iris glared at Snart. He wasn't helping. She said, "Look, maybe we can help you, Cisco. Like how we help Barry."

Snart drawled, "Barry needs three people cheerleading in his earpiece to run real fast? How do you ever beat anyone?" 

"We beat you," Caitlin said. "Mostly."

"Cisco, you're a superhero, like Barry, you can do this," Iris said. "It would be really helpful if you could do it."

"Yeah," Caitlin said. "Try visualizing it. A perfect door."

"Maybe with a festive sign on it saying Welcome back to Earth 1, in a heroic font," Snart added unnecessarily. 

"None of this is working," Cisco said, sitting on the floor.

"Are you trying?" Caitlin poked Cisco with her foot. "Have you actually tried? Cause I think that might be the first step."

"You're getting testy, Snow, I like it," Snart said. 

"Yeah? Screw you," Iris said. "Contribute something."

"My part is pretty clear here: annoy Cisco into using metahuman abilities so we can break out. Think about this," Snart drawled, leaning in close to Cisco. "We could be spending a lot more time together if you don't make this work."

"Okay, trying again." Cisco closed his eyes. 

Caitlin said, "Imagine the glove is on your hand. Imagine how it works." 

Iris said, "You can do this."

Snart for once in his life remained silent. He was silently regarding Cisco like Cisco was some kind of broken down butter churn, useless squared. Iris wondered why she was thinking of butter churns and then remembered the odd shape of the barriers on the sidewalk. 

Light and distorted light poured from Cisco's hand. It resolved itself into a hole the size of one of their heads. 

"Bigger than that," Snart said. "Think wider and more open and not so small."

"Thanks for the description," Cisco said, gritting his teeth. 

Iris watched as the hole expanded slightly. But not much. Cisco sighed and lowered his hand. "That's all I got."

"Maybe we can pull it bigger," Caitlin said. "Can we touch the edges?"

"You check," Snart said. 

"I'll try," Cisco said. He tentatively touched the hole thing and drew back immediately. "Okay, that won't work."

"We'll trust you," Iris said. 

"Well, if we go in, it will probably expand," Caitlin said. 

"Who wants to try that?"

Iris looked around, their talk had attracted the attention of some of the guards. She said, "Me. Push me in." She stuck her head in the hole and then someone was pushing her and she started to shoot through something, something bright and white. 

Then she was in the sky, falling. She screamed and tried to figure out where she could be and how she would die. Cisco grabbed her hand, she was sure of that. She landed softly on nothing and then fell a foot onto the roof with a painful thud.

She looked around and saw Caitlin and Cisco sort of half sprawled in the parking lot of Star Labs. Snart, of course, was already standing. He said, "Good work, Cisco, using that vibe force to save us all."

"I gotta change that name."

"And now that we're home safe, I'll be back in a week for my payment," Snart said.

Caitlin stood shakily, "Are you making more things for him?"

Iris said, "What are you thinking?"

"I was thinking, hey, we need to defeat this meta-human and Barry's off doing that thing and we need some serious help, and who better to help than someone who definitely knows how to think like a criminal and unlike our meta-human, doesn't generally murder people?" Cisco helped Iris up. 

Caitlin said, "So what are you paying him?"

"A very small cold gun, and you know, some other improvements to his big one," Cisco said. "And he's still not going to murder anyone."

"Yeah, he'll just set murderers free and try to rule all of the criminal underworld," Iris said. "My back hurts, I'm sorry, criminal underworld is a horrible cliche."

"It's not as bad as vibe force," Cisco said. 

Caitlin made them both go inside for medical check ups. "I hope Snart sees a doctor, in case --"

"He'd survive anything," Iris said. "Clearly."

"I think it needs a spanish twist. Why am I naming all my powers in English? That's what it needs," Cisco muttered. 

"Exactly," Iris said. "That'll improve vibe force, exactly."


End file.
